FORT WORTH OPERA PROUDLY ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL ARTIST RESIDENCY WITH RENOWNED METROPOLITAN OPERA STAR JENNIFER ROWLEY
May 28,2020
FORT WORTH, TX — Fort Worth Opera (FWO) is thrilled to announce a virtual artist residency with internationally acclaimed soprano Jennifer Rowley, June 6 through August 1, 2020. Praised by The New York Times for her “radiant tone,” and called “spectacular” by The Wall Street Journal, Ms. Rowley is one of the most sought-after sopranos of our time, and this eight-week collaboration will feature masterclasses, lectures, and discussions with singers, directors, coaches, and opera insiders. FWO will serve as the host of this exciting Zoom masterclass series and will post instructions for singers to audition for the eight sessions on its social media platforms, at online audition manager YAP Tracker, and its official website, www.fwopera.org, beginning June 1, 2020.
Starting Saturday afternoon, June 6, The Metropolitan Opera star will hold weekly themed Zoom masterclasses, focusing on vocal technique, repertoire, language skills, acting, and building a character. Sessions will occasionally feature guest artists and provide participants with an exclusive opportunity to work with this world-class artist and stellar vocal coach. Ms. Rowley will also engage separately in Zoom lectures and casual conversations on Instagram with industry professionals, highlighting topics like the business of singing, the accelerated adoption of technology during the coronavirus crisis, and how to navigate this new digital frontier as an opera singer in the 21st century.
On Mondays, the company will announce a call for singers, and on Friday mornings, Fort Worth Opera and Jennifer Rowley will publish the names of the 4-5 singers selected for the weekend class online. The first ninety individuals who sign up each week by submitting their information and email address at masterclass@fwopera.org will secure a spot to audit and observe, similar to an audience in a live masterclass. Singers will perform to prerecorded accompaniment and coach the arias and repertoire with Ms. Rowley. For young artists, these masterclasses will serve as an invaluable opportunity to work one-on-one with a seasoned professional and provide advanced tools and techniques to refine their craft as they pursue a career in opera.
Soprano Jennifer Rowley is acclaimed worldwide for her unforgettable voice and remarkable stage presence, singing a richly varied repertoire that includes many of opera’s greatest heroines. She has performed on the stages of great opera houses and with premiere orchestras across the globe, including The Metropolitan Opera, Opéra National de Paris, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Semperoper Dresden, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. She has previously been featured both in recital and in concert with Fort Worth Opera.
In addition to her international performing career, Ms. Rowley is a sought-after educator and vocal pedagogue, participating in residencies and leading master classes for Baldwin Wallace University, University of Miami, SUNY Potsdam, and Fort Worth Opera. In the summer of 2020, she will serve on the vocal faculty of International Music Festival of Morelia’s Young Artist Program.
ABOUT FORT WORTH OPERA: Founded in 1946, Fort Worth Opera is the oldest continually-performing opera company in Texas, and one of the 14 oldest opera companies in the United States. The organization has received national acclaim from critics and audiences alike for its artistic excellence. Beginning in 2017, Fort Worth Opera launched Noches de Ópera (Nights of Opera), a groundbreaking campaign designed to introduce powerful operas to the community, each reflecting the diverse cultures of American audiences. Fort Worth Opera is sponsored in part by awards from The Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County, The City of Fort Worth, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and OPERA America. Additional Fort Worth Opera sponsors include: the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; The Burnett Foundation; the Amon G. Carter Foundation; the Sid W. Richardson Foundation; Visit Fort Worth; Adeline & George McQueen Foundation, J.P. Morgan, Trustee; Smallwood Foundation, J.P. Morgan, Trustee; Hattie Mae Lesley Foundation, Bank of America, Trustee; Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust, Simmons Bank, Trustee; Garvey Texas Foundation; Mary Potishman Lard Trust; Fifth Avenue Foundation; The Thomas M. Helen McKee and John P. Ryan Foundation; R4 Foundation; Red Oak Foundation; The Rea Charitable Trust, Wells Fargo Trustee; Wells Fargo Foundation; and Autobahn. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Fort Worth Opera. Arts and Culture Texas Magazine is the Official Media Sponsor of Fort Worth Opera